Beyonce releases surprise album "Lemonade" as much-anticipated TV special airs

April 23 (Reuters) - Beyonce cemented her status as the
queen of surprise releases on Saturday, releasing a completely
new album and videos called "Lemonade" via a widely anticipated
one-hour special on cable network HBO.

During the show, which ignited social media as fans
breathlessly enthused about, and debated, the program and its
content, Beyoncé appeared to address long-standing rumors of
trouble in her marriage with rapper Jay Z.

After leveling accusations in her song lyrics about being
cheated on, Beyonce made clear in the last tracks of the new
album that she has decided to reconcile with him and continue in
the marriage.

In a preview earlier this week, the singer teased fans with
a snippet promoting the show, mysteriously intoning "The past
and the present merge to meet us here. What are you hiding? Why
can't you see me? You're the love of my life."

Fans, who wondered if Saturday's show was to be a concept
video with new music from the R&B star, found out on Saturday
that was pretty much the case, with chapters carrying titles
that riffed on the grieving process stages such as anger, denial
and forgiveness.

Before the end of the program, which featured a compilation
of music videos, vignettes, vintage, home-movie style footage
and poetry, Beyonce, 34, had dropped "Lemonade" onto the Tidal
streaming service. The film was also available via Tidal.

Videos also featured appearances by the mothers of two black
men, Michael Brown and Trayvon Martin, whose shooting deaths, in
Brown's case by a Missouri police officer, have trained a
spotlight on U.S. racial tensions.

Fans posting on social media such as Twitter were especially
engaged with speculation about the content of the show and songs
as they related to Beyonce and Jay Z, making references in
postings about "women scorned" and the singer "dropping" both an
album and a divorce, seemingly at the same time.

Beyonce previewed work from the new album just before his
Super Bowl appearance this year when she debuted her single,
"Formation."

Beyonce's last album, in 2013, was also marked by a surprise
release. She kicks off her new tour this week in Miami.
(Editing by Chris Michaud, Robert Birsel)